HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- Less than an hour before the Texans and Buccaneers kicked off their final preseason game at NRG Stadium, Bucs quarterback Tom Brady and Texans general manager Nick Caserio made eye contact with one another. Soon after the two old friends embraced before engaging in conversation.
"I've known Nick for 20 years, at least, maybe 21 years," Brady said after completing 11-of-14 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown in the first half of Tampa's 23-16 win.
Caserio joined the New England Patriots a year after Brady. He started as a personnel assistant and later spent time as an assistant coach, a scout, and eventually became the team's director of player personnel before taking over the Texans football operations in January.
"He's a great person, great football mind, diligent, hard working, very detailed, so I really appreciate my time with Nick. He's done a great job, happy he got an opportunity here."
Saturday was the first time Brady and Caserio stood on an NFL field without a New England Patriots logo present. Brady's place in NFL lore is cemented, but he's happy his old friend is getting a chance to carve his own path after two decades under the Bill Belichick umbrella.
"We're all getting different opportunities as we get older," Brady said. "You put in the work and you get different opportunities at different times, and it's Nick's first opportunity to really take that sole position, so happy for him, always wish him the best of luck unless he's playing against us."
After meeting up with one another on Saturday, Brady and Caserio will get a chance to take on Belichick and the Patriots this season. The Bucs will travel to Foxboro on October 3, while the Texans host New England the next week.
